This book tells the story of the discovery, exploration, and protection of Fern Cave. The story describes how cavers found and mapped this massive cave, how they discovered a huge colony of endangered bats, and why the US Fish and Wildlife Service purchased four entrances to the cave. The story continues, describing how cavers worked as volunteers for over 25 years to manage Fern on behalf of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, how cavers worked to create a world-class map of the entire cave system, how a cave conservancy bought one entrance to the cave , and what has changed in the era of the white-nose disease. This is much more than a history book. It's the story of all of the people who worked so hard to explore and understand Fern Cave, the greatest cave in Alabama and one of the finest caves in the United States.